. >> is the u.s. willing to directly aid the fighters on the ground and is that enough to change assad's administration? >> he needs to know that he can't shoot his bayway out of this and so we need to convince him of that, and i think the opposition needs more help in order to be able to do that and we are working together to have a united position with respect to that. >> the secretary hinted the u.s. might start to distribute aid in rebel held parts of syria. secretary kerry expected to talk more about the syria question at an international conference tomorrow in rome. charlie and norah? >> clarissa ward thank you. >>> the supreme court today is hearing arguments over the landmark 1965 law, at issue, whether voting rights are secure enough now to allow the rollback of protections from the civil rights era. john crawford is at the supreme court. jan, this has far-reaching consequences. tell us about what's at issue here? >> reporter: the voting rights act is one of the most arguments now just under